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The planet as we know it

THE small plane touched down the short runway. We are back in this island of peace, our hideaway — Amanpulo on Pamilacan Island — to enjoy the silence and solitude.

It is here that my mind travels and thinks of countless things.

The waters, the white sand beach and island are sustained and preserved by an environmental conservation culture management, the influx of people controlled. Even the herbs on this 89-hectare island are organically grown.

How I wish the entire country is like this.

Today, the 26th of September, 2020, we witnessed the release of 80 of the 96 green turtles in their hatchery, a sign of sincere conservation albeit only one percent may survive the ordeal of the wild ocean.

Irene Meca, the resident marine biologist, also told us about Project PEACE, where volunteers collect over 65 kilos of plastics from the shore daily.

The initiative delighted us, because our greatest threats include climate change, depleting water resources, plastic pollution.

As we strolled along the beach yesterday, we saw plastic bottles in this protected area. One cannot stop the tide to wash plastics ashore. They will find their way ashore — any shore.

But we can stop throwing plastics.

Researchers have acknowledged that every cubic meter of the ocean contains 7,000 microplastic particles in the surface.

Just last week in Tasmania, 200 whales beached themselves to die for reasons we can only surmise as climate change-related: warmer waters, lower oxygen content or just too much microplastics.

This is not the first time it has happened but the veracity of it is incredibly high.

The book, The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells, tells us of the negative cognitive effects of direct heat and air pollution. That a 13-degree Celsius economy has a higher rate of productivity.

Today, the US hovers around 13.4 degrees, which translates to one percent of GDP loss.

Climate change is an enveloping crisis that touches every aspect of our lives. Wallace continues that should the planet warm 3.7 degrees, it will translate to $551 trillion, which is nearly twice as much wealth that exists in the world today.

The UK will be affected the least and the Democratic Republic of Congo the most. Not to mention climate refugees of over 200 million by 2050. Economically challenged countries will collapse and poverty and hunger will prevail.

Not to mention the effects of this COVID-19 pandemic that has collapsed and destroyed the world economies. Whether it has slowed down carbon emissions is yet to be seen.

But species and habitats will die. Water resources will dwindle as barely more than two percent of it is fresh and one percent is trapped in glaciers and melting.

What bothers me the most is that bankers, especially those from the ADB and some other institutions, are still lending to finance fossil fuel. I realize how little they know about the environment and the possibilities of an ecological disaster.

In this day and age, one would think that environmental concerns would be paramount in the agenda of man. It will be the end of our civilization as we know it.

Sadly, it is a far cry to that. We are at a tipping point. Don’t they feel and see it? They need to change their mindset and reshape their thinking as well as all of us. Imagine a world of seven billion guardians of Mother Earth instead of destroyers of the planet.

Imagine.

 

Antonio M. Claparols is the president of the Ecological Society of the Philippines

Rich nations tightening firehose of aid

WASHINGTON/LONDON/BERLIN — If Round One of the coronavirus relief effort was the economic equivalent of “shock and awe,” new plans being developed by the world’s biggest economies for more assistance to businesses and consumers are taking a narrower and more tactical approach.

Governments around the world went in big, hard and fast in their initial efforts to blunt the economic hit from the global pandemic, drumming up roughly $10 trillion in spending plans through June, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates. Central banks levered that up further with rate cuts, bond purchases and a raft of other credit programs.

But with President Donald Trump in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) and a resurgence in cases in Europe and the United States, there is an acknowledgment that the recovery is far from complete. Government and central bank officials are now devising more targeted follow-up programs they hope will help the industries and people still displaced in the global downturn.

With tens of millions remaining unemployed, this second round of government aid will still be counted in the trillions of dollars. Major industries remain under stress from the restrictions imposed last spring to try to halt the coronavirus, and public trust in routine activities like restaurant dining has not been restored.

This time around, officials are betting the virus can be suppressed without reverting to broad lockdowns, ideally allowing a global economic recovery to largely proceed. Their gamble will determine whether the world heads into 2021 poised for recovery and able to take full advantage of any successful vaccine — or climbing from an even deeper hole.

Rising caseloads “put governments in the unenviable position of trying to limit the damage to public health, while avoiding stringent measures to limit economic and social life,” Kevin Loane of Fathom Consulting wrote in a recent note.

“All leaders will be forced to come down more clearly on the side of mitigation or suppression. Suppression was the choice for almost all in the spring. It is unlikely that it will be again.”

NEED TO ADAPT
In tandem with those efforts to suppress the virus, the global economic response last spring was unprecedented as major central banks and governments approved emergency programs to funnel cash to those whose jobs were at risk, keep credit cheap, and back a broad set of financial markets and economic sectors with bond purchases and loans.

The IMF’s estimated $10 trillion of global fiscal spending is still perhaps $2 trillion short of the hole the coronavirus has blown in the world economy, with global output seen shrinking 4.9% this year. The IMF will issue updated forecasts and policy advice ahead of its Oct. 12 to 18 fall meetings.

The world’s major central banks are not expected to do much more given the aggressive steps they have already taken, though the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England (BOE) are still discussing more bond purchases and, in the BOE’s case, the possibility of using negative interest rates.

That leaves it to fiscal authorities to fill the gaps, crafting assistance for those who still need it on the supposition economies will not be forced back into broad hibernation. Yet if the thrust of policy last spring was to get money out fast, with few strings attached, the aim now is more tailored. In the United Kingdom, it involves swapping a blanket wage replacement program for one backing “viable” jobs — a step officials acknowledge will leave some people stranded but aid transition to a post-pandemic world.

“The sources of our economic growth and the kinds of jobs we create will adapt and evolve to the new normal. And our plan needs to adapt,” British finance minister Rishi Sunak said recently. “As the economy reopens it is fundamentally wrong to hold people in jobs that only exist” through government support.

THE NEXT SHOE?
As new COVID-19 cases hit record levels in France, the government provided extra cash only to businesses that were put under new limits, including gyms, theaters and cafes in the hardest-hit regions.

While Germany is also seeing caseloads increase, its economic response has been more forward looking, with programs already set to extend through the end of this year and in some instances through 2021.

With the economic recovery still fragile and fears of a resurgence in infections looming, Japanese officials say they are ready to deploy further fiscal stimulus to cushion the blow, though likely scaled back from earlier efforts.

In Washington, stalemated talks over more spending have resumed between Democratic leaders and the Trump administration. However Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said he wants any new spending targeted to small businesses and to programs for “kids and jobs,” rather than spread broadly and with few strings attached as it was in the $2.6 trillion CARES Act last spring. 

Republicans want to limit new spending to perhaps half of the $2.2. trillion proposed by Democrats last week.

There is no guarantee of a deal of any size, though many economists feel the US recovery will likely slow if one is not approved.

Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi said if no further government help is approved this year, the US economy may contract in the fourth quarter and into next year, turning what began as a faster-than-expected recovery into renewed downturn and a return to double digit unemployment.

“Here is where the shoe could drop,” Zandi wrote. — Reuters

Trump recuperates amid questions about his health

DONALD TRUMP’S condition remains clouded by confusion over his treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with the president’s effort to show strength contradicted by conflicting accounts from his doctors that raise doubts about how soon he’ll be able return to work and his re-election campaign.

Mr. Trump made a surprise outing from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Sunday, waving to supporters gathered outside from his motorcade and saying in a video posted on Twitter that he’s learned a lot about virus. “I get it,” he said.

A member of his medical team, Brian Garibaldi, a pulmonary expert at Johns Hopkins University, said at a briefing on Sunday that the president could be released from the hospital as soon as Monday.

But the White House physician, Sean Conley, disclosed for the first time that he was given supplemental oxygen and has received a medication that’s typically used in more severe COVID-19 patients. That raises questions about the president’s condition as he heads into a phase of the illness where the health of some patients worsens suddenly and dramatically.

The questions about Mr. Trump’s treatment and recovery as well as demands for more complete disclosure about his health come amid the prospect of widening outbreak among White House and campaign staff and Senate Republicans, even as campaign aides predicted the president would soon be back on the campaign trail.

“We have to trust that what they’re telling us about the president’s condition is real,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” adding that she’s getting details about Mr. Trump’s health from the press and alleging that Trump is approving the medical team’s public statements.

But Mr. Conley also revealed that Mr. Trump’s blood-oxygen saturation level dropped twice since his diagnosis, and that the president’s medical team decided to administer dexamethasone, a steroid used to treat inflammation in COVID patients. Asked about X-rays and CT scans of the president’s lungs, Mr. Conley said there were “some expected findings” but nothing “of any major clinical concern.”

“The president is not out of the woods,” said William Schaffner, an infectious disease doctor at Vanderbilt University. Mr. Trump’s doctor was “very evasive” in discussing what lung scans had showed, he said. The disease’s effects on patients’ lungs is often worse than is indicated by their outward symptoms. “It is kind of a stealth infection,” Mr. Schaffner added.

Asked why he didn’t disclose during Saturday’s briefing that Mr. Trump had received oxygen despite repeated questions about it, Mr. Conley said, “I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude” of the team and the president.

“I didn’t want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction, and in doing so, it came off that we were trying to hide something, which wasn’t necessarily true,” Mr. Conley said.

The president first tested positive after he returned from a fundraiser at his New Jersey golf resort on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters on Sunday evening. Trump made an appearance on Fox News on Thursday night before disclosing on Twitter shortly after midnight on Friday that he had tested positive.

Trump campaign senior aide Jason Miller said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that Trump would soon be “ready to get back to the campaign trail,” and in a separate appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Miller downplayed a new NBC-Wall Street Journal poll that showing Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee, leading Trump by 14 percentage points. The campaign is optimistic about Trump’s prospects in key battleground states needed to get to 270 electoral votes, he said.

But almost 3.3 million people have already cast ballots for the Nov. 3 election, according to data compiled by University of Florida professor Michael McDonald. David Gergen, a former White House aide to both Democrats and Republicans, said it’s unacceptable that the Americans public doesn’t know the full extent of Trump’s condition.

“The voters should have full information about the outlook for the president’s health before they cast a vote,” Mr. Gergen said on CNN.

Questions have also arisen about whether Trump’s White House and campaign events became super spreader locations for the virus. Hope Hicks, a top aide to the president; his campaign manager, Bill Stepien; his debate coach, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie; and Republican Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin have tested positive for coronavirus infection.

Scott Gottlieb, a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, said on CBS it’s “likely” there will be additional COVID-19 cases stemming from the outbreak in the White House and among Republican lawmakers. — Bloomberg

Miami Heat stun Los Angeles Lakers

Butler carries Heat to Game 3 win over Lakers

WHEN Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic went down in Game 1 of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals, the Miami Heat’s only hope to stay in the series became clear: ride Jimmy Butler.

It wasn’t enough in Game 2, but Butler took his game a step further Sunday night, scoring 40 points to go with 13 assists and 11 rebounds as the short-handed Heat held off the Los Angeles Lakers 115-104 to win Game 3 at the NBA bubble near Orlando.

Butler completed his first career playoff triple-double with six of his team’s final 12 points, telling the Lakers they were “in trouble” as Miami pulled away late to avoid a 3-0 deficit in the best-of-seven series.

“I think we realized that we belong,” Butler said in his on-court postgame interview. “They can be beat, as long as we do what we’re supposed to do. Coming into the next game, I know they’re going to be so much better, and we’ve got to be able to match that energy.”

Butler played 45 minutes for the second straight game as Dragic (foot) and Adebayo (neck/shoulder) remained sidelined. He became the third player in Finals history to score 40 points in a triple-double, joining opponent LeBron James and Laker legend Jerry West.

“How else do you say it other than Jimmy effing Butler?” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said in summing up his star’s performance. “This was a very urgent game, and he was doing it on both ends of the court. Just put his imprint on every important part of the game.”

Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Herro did their part for Miami with 17 points apiece.

James had 25 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and Anthony Davis was saddled by early foul trouble in scoring just 15 for the Lakers. Markieff Morris and Kyle Kuzma each had 19 points off the bench, though Los Angeles was plagued by 20 turnovers.

“We know that we can’t turn the ball over versus this team,” said James, who was responsible for eight. “It starts with myself, being the starting point guard for the team.”

Game 4 will take place Tuesday.

The Lakers came back from down 14 in the third quarter to go ahead 91-89 on a Rajon Rondo drive to the basket at 8:54 of the fourth. The Heat responded with an 8-0 spurt, Olynyk and Herro hitting 3-pointers.

Los Angeles was within five, 105-100, on a Morris three at 2:11 before four straight Butler points restored Miami’s edge to nine. A Herro three-point play and Duncan Robinson three in the final minute sealed the result.

The Heat used a 10-0 run to begin the third to go ahead 68-54. The Lakers countered with eight unanswered, but Miami regained control behind a pair of Olynyk threes to lead 81-70 with 2:55 left. The score was 85-80 entering the fourth.

The Heat took advantage of a sloppy Lakers start to lead by as much as 13, 22-9, in the first. Los Angeles turned the ball over 10 times in the quarter, one more than it had in Game 2 total. Still, the Lakers ended the period within 26-23.

Los Angeles was up 37-33 in the second before Miami rattled off an 11-0 stretch. The Lakers battled back within one, 47-46, but a pair of Butler baskets and rare three from Solomon Hill helped the Heat to a 58-54 halftime lead.

Butler had 19 points, six rebounds and six assists at the break. James scored 16, while Davis was held to five in 11 minutes after drawing three quick fouls.

“It takes away that aggressiveness on both ends of the floor that I’m used to playing with,” said Davis of the fouls. “Still have to be better and find ways to affect the game on both ends of the floor, but it definitely took me out and put a little bit too much pressure on the other guys.” — Reuters

Eala beats Hungary’s Szabanin in straight sets in opening round

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

YOUNG Filipino tennis star Alex Eala got her 2020 French Open Juniors’ Grand Slam Tournament campaign off to a good start, hacking out a straight sets win over Hungarian Natalia Szabanin, 6-4, 6-1, early Monday morning (Manila time).

The second-seeded Eala, currently based in Mallorca, Spain, as a scholar of the Rafa Nadal Academy, found herself in an early 1-4 hole but kept her composure and fought back to take the opening set.

She continued with her steady play in the second set, not allowing her opponent to get much headway en route to closing out things and advancing to the next stage of the competition.

In the second round, 15-year-old Eala, who is also a Globe ambassador, will face off with Germany’s Mara Guth, a 6-4, 4-3 winner over France’s Sarah Iliev in their own opening round joust.

In this year’s edition of the French Open, Eala is hoping to pick up from her winning ways early this year before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the tennis season.

Eala won the 2020 Australian Open juniors’ double events with partner Priska Nugroho of Indonesia in January. She was looking forward to building on it, but the pandemic and the subsequent postponement of events did not allow her to.

By winning the Australian Open juniors title, Eala made history by becoming the first Filipina to win a grand slam title, be it in juniors or seniors play.

Apart from the singles tournament in the French Open, Eala is also set to play in the doubles event, teaming up with Elvina Kalieva of the United States. Their doubles team is seeded third in the tournament.

They were drawn to start their campaign first against the Italian duo of Eleonora Alvisi and Lisa Pigato.

NLEX buckling down to work ahead of PBA bubble

RECOGNIZING that preparation is vital in the setup the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will have when it resumes its season next week, the NLEX Road Warriors are doing just that with the end view of being battle-ready come tipoff.

“We’re very excited and we’re expecting a good performance. The team has been preparing hard, despite the limited practices we’re doing. Preparation is key to success; that’s one of our principles,” NLEX coach Yeng Guiao was quoted as saying by the official PBA website.

The Road Warriors are already in Clark City in Angeles, Pampanga, where the PBA “bubble” tournament will be held beginning Oct. 11.

The team, along with the rest of the field, league officials and staff, will be holed up in the former United States military base for the duration of the Philippine Cup, expected to last for at least two months.

The PBA is looking to finish at least a conference in its coronavirus pandemic-hit season.

In the bubble, NLEX will be bannered by young guards Kiefer Ravena and Kevin Alas and veterans Asi Taulava, Jericho Rosales and JR Quinahan.

Also with the team are big man Mike Miranda, who is once again part of the team; Kenneth Ighalo, Raul Soyud, rookie Mike Ayonayon, and Philip Paniamogan.

Veterans Cyrus Baguio and Larry Fonacier are not in the roster for the bubble. Mr. Baguio was left out of the list while Mr. Fonacier begged off to join for family health concerns.

NLEX is coming off a stinging experience last conference where it was unceremoniously booted out by the Northport Batang Pier in the quarterfinals despite topping the elimination round and holding a twice-to-beat advantage.

The team was aching to redeem itself in the Philippine Cup early this year but the pandemic did not allow it to. It is now looking at the resumption to see its cause through.

Like every stakeholder in the PBA, Mr. Guiao said they as a group are committed to the successful staging of the PBA bubble. They are following protocols set by the league and the government and vow to give fans a showing worth their while. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

It’s now a go for Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3

Local three-on-three basketball action is set to resume after Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 got the green light to begin its new season.

Its initial request to stage its tournament denied, the now-recognized professional league recalibrated its push and was recently granted a provisional license to proceed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

The league will stage its President’s Cup, now powered by TM, from Oct. 16 to 31 in a “bubble” setting inside the Inspire Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

“We are grateful for the Inter-Agency Task Force composed of the Games and Amusements Board, Department of Health, and Philippine Sports Commission for giving us the clearance to hold our bubble,” said league owner Ronald Mascariñas in a release.

“All of us are excited to get the ball rolling for our season.”

The President’s Cup will see 12 teams competing, namely, Zamboanga Chooks-to-Go, Uling Roasters-Butuan City, Bacolod-Masters Sardines, Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, Palayan City Capitals, Zamboanga Peninsula Valientes MLV, Porac Big Boss Cement MSC, Bicol 3×3 Pro, Pasig Sta. Lucia Realtors, Saranggani Marlins, Pagadian City Rocky Sports, and Petra Cement.

Zamboanga is composed of national team pool players Joshua Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, Troy Rike, and Santi Santillan.

Mr. Mascarinas said the league is committed to having a successful staging of its new season, which is why they built their schedule tightly, putting the safety of all the participants above all things.

The teams will have their final practice in UP Epsilon Chi Center in Quezon City from Oct. 5 to 7. For the next two days, everyone entering the bubble will have their RT-PCR testing.

From Oct. 8 to 13, everyone will be under pre-bubble home quarantine after which another series of RT-PCR testing will be done before entering Inspire Academy from Oct. 14 to 15.

Teams will begin practice from Oct. 16 to 18 in Laguna.

A preseason tournament will be held on Oct. 19 before the league begins its first leg on Oct. 21.

Three more legs will be played on Oct. 23, 25 and 27. The Grand Finals, which has P1 million at stake, takes place on Oct. 30.

Everyone in the bubble will leave the venue on Oct. 31 and will undergo a 14-day home quarantine.

Apart from getting 3×3 basketball going anew in the country after some time because of the coronavirus pandemic, Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 is also using the tournament to help the national team, which will see action at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year. – Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Folayang underscores key role teachers play in honing the youth

A HIGH SCHOOL teacher prior to becoming one of the top mixed martial artists in the country, Eduard “Landslide” Folayang surely knows the key role that teachers play in honing the youth.

On National Teachers’ Day on Monday, former ONE Championship lightweight world champion Folayang took time to pay tribute to the men and women of the teaching profession, underscoring the sacrifices they make in dispensing their duties and the need for them to be role models.  

“When you touch the lives of your students, even in the simplest way, that was the most fulfilling for me, back when I was still teaching in school. It’s such an honorable profession, even if it’s not easy by any means. Being a teacher is hard, but we still do it with passion because we want our kids to succeed,” said Mr. Folayang, who taught high school English and Physical Education before deciding to go full time in MMA.

He went on to say that teachers in the country should be valued for all their efforts, including making sure they are compensated well.

“We need to take care of our teachers because they have a very important role. They take care of our children when we are not able to. They teach them how to be adults,” he said.

Adding, “I think all work has its own unique set of challenges. But as teachers, it’s such a worthy sacrifice. The youth are very important in our society. They will go on to be leaders of our country in their own ways. It’s important that they be brought up with the right values and the right character.”

But while Mr. Folayang is no longer teaching in the traditional classroom setting, he still finds himself doing mentorship to young talents of Team Lakay. It is something he finds much satisfaction in and takes seriously.

“In some ways, I’m still very much a teacher. Now, I teach the younger generation of martial artists, to help them navigate our industry,” he said.

“I like to inspire by giving a good example. I try to be a good role model. In my position, I know a lot of people look up to me, that’s why I try to conduct myself in the right way. I want to be a good influence on peoples’ lives.”

Mr. Folayang (22-9) was last seen in the ONE cage in January this year where he lost by split decision to Pieter Buist.

He is currently training with Team Lakay and is awaiting another call up from the promotion. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Surprises keep coming in wild women’s draw of the 2020 French Open

PARIS — It is not unusual for the French Open to throw up surprises in the women’s draw, but this year’s re-scheduled tournament has been more wildly unpredictable than ever.

On Sunday Argentina’s 131st-ranked Nadia Podoroska beat Czech Barbora Krejcikova, ranked 114th, to make it two qualifiers into the last eight for the first time since 1978.

Earlier, Italian qualifier Martina Trevisan, ranked 159th, had beaten Dutch fifth seed Kiki Bertens in another huge upset on the day that Polish teenager Iga Swiatek thrashed top seed Simona Halep for the loss of three games.

The draw had already been shredded with only 13 of the top 32 seeds having made it through to the third round — the lowest number in a women’s draw since 32 seeds were introduced in Grand Slams at Wimbledon in 2001.

The heavier than usual balls being used, the relentless cold and rainy conditions in Paris, the impact of a season severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic that forced the tournament to be switched from May/June, and the fact that only a smattering of fans are allowed may all have contributed to the upsets.

The 23-year-old Podoroska, playing in only her second Grand Slam main draw, is the first Argentine woman to reach the last eight in Paris since Paola Suarez’s semi-final run in 2004.

Asked for her thoughts on all the surprises, she said the strange circumstances may have proved a leveller.

“I play too many matches in these conditions, so it’s a little bit, I feel, comfortable,” she joked after beating Krejcikova in three sets on an almost empty and windswept Court Simonne-Mathieu.

She will face third-seed Elina Svitolina in the last eight, the highest-ranked player left in the draw, while Trevisan plays 54th-ranked Swiatek meaning at least one unseeded player will reach the semi-finals.

“No one is going to give me the trophy just because I’m the highest seed left,” Svitolina said.

“They beat those higher-ranked players, and they are there for a reason.”

The fourth round concludes on Monday with Australian Open Sofia Kenin, seeded four, and twice Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova trying to restore some order.

Halep, for one, will not be surprised if the lower-ranked players continue to make headway on the damp red clay.

“Everyone at this level is playing really well and in the fourth round of a Grand Slam, it’s not a surprise any more because if you are there, it means that you have a great game,” the Romanian said on Sunday.

“I believe that every match is open at this level and it’s about the day that you play. So, yeah, all the credit for the players who are winning the matches.” — Reuters

Social media abuse drives girls off Facebook, Instagram, Twitter — poll

Attacks were most common on Facebook, where 39% of girls polled said they had been harassed, followed by Instagram (23%), WhatsApp (14%), Snapchat (10%), Twitter (9%), and TikTok (6%).

LONDON — Online abuse is driving girls to quit social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, with nearly 60% experiencing harassment, a global study showed on Sunday.

One in five girls and young women has abandoned or cut down on using a social media platform after being targeted, with some saying harassment started when they were as young as eight, the survey by girls’ rights group Plan International showed.

“Girls are being silenced by a toxic level of harassment,” said the organization’s chief executive, Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen.

Attacks were most common on Facebook, where 39% of girls polled said they had been harassed, followed by Instagram (23%), WhatsApp (14%), Snapchat (10%), Twitter (9%), and TikTok (6%).

The charity, which will share the report with social media companies and lawmakers around the world, said the abuse was suppressing girls’ voices at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was increasing the importance of communicating online.

It called on social media companies to take urgent action to address the issue and urged governments to pass laws to deal with online harassment.

The study found reporting tools were ineffective in stopping the abuse, which included explicit messages, pornographic photos, and cyberstalking.

Nearly half of the girls targeted had been threatened with physical or sexual violence, according to the poll. Many said the abuse took a mental toll, and a quarter felt physically unsafe.

“It is time for this to stop. Girls should not have to put up with behavior online which would be criminal on the streets,” the report said.

Facebook and Instagram said they used artificial intelligence to look for bullying content, constantly monitored users’ reports of abuse, and always removed rape threats.

Twitter said it also used technology to catch abusive content and has launched tools to improve users’ control over their conversations.

The survey polled 14,000 girls and young women aged 15 to 25 in 22 countries including Brazil, India, Nigeria, Spain, Thailand, and the United States.

Ms. Albrectsen said activists, including those campaigning for gender equality and on LGBT+ issues, were often targeted particularly viciously, and their lives and families threatened.

“Driving girls out of online spaces is hugely disempowering in an increasingly digital world, and damages their ability to be seen, heard, and become leaders,” she added.

In an open letter to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, girls from around the world called on social media companies to create more effective ways to report abuse.

“We use (your platforms) not just to connect with friends, but to lead and create change. But they are not safe for us. We get harassed and abused on them. Every. Single. Day,” they wrote.

“As this global pandemic moves our lives online, we are more at risk than ever.”

Plan International also urged the companies to do more to hold to account those behind such abuse, and to collect data on the scale of the problem. — Emma Batha/Thomson Reuters Foundation

NFL roundup: Browns in rare territory after wild win at Dallas

ODELL BECKHAM Jr. caught two touchdown passes and ran for a third that helped stave off a furious Dallas Cowboys comeback in the fourth quarter Sunday as the Cleveland Browns held on for a 49-38 win at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

In increasing its record to 3-1 for the first time since 2001 with its third straight victory, Cleveland ran roughshod over Dallas’ leaky defense, piling up 307 rushing yards despite losing leading rusher Nick Chubb (knee injury) in the first quarter.

Beckham accounted for 50 of those yards on the play that kept the Browns from blowing a 41-14 fourth-quarter lead. With 3:25 remaining, Beckham went right on a reverse, skirted a tackle attempt and used some nice downfield blocking to race into the end zone after Dallas (1-3) had closed to 41-38.

Dak Prescott finished with a monstrous stat line thanks to the late rally. The Cowboys’ quarterback completed 41 of 58 passes for 502 yards and four touchdowns. His only mistake was an interception by Denzel Ward at the Cleveland 4 with 1:36 left in the game that sealed the outcome.

BILLS 30, RAIDERS 23
Josh Allen passed for 288 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another as Buffalo remained unbeaten by handing Las Vegas its first home loss.

Allen, who completed 24 of 34 passes, left the game briefly late in the second quarter, grabbing at his left shoulder after completing a backhanded, left-handed shovel pass to Stefon Diggs. Diggs caught six passes for 115 yards, and Devin Singletary rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown for Buffalo (4-0).

Derek Carr completed 32 of 44 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns for Las Vegas (2-2), breaking the franchise record with 151 career touchdown passes. Darren Waller caught nine passes for 88 yards, but also had a costly fumble. Josh Jacobs rushed for 48 yards on 15 carries and Daniel Carlson kicked three field goals (54, 39 and 25 yards) for the Raiders.

VIKINGS 31, TEXANS 23
Dalvin Cook rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns while Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson each posted 100-yard receiving games as visiting Minnesota held off Houston.

The Vikings (1-3) needed a last-minute replay reversal to seal the victory, as a 5-yard fourth-down touchdown pass from Deshaun Watson to William Fuller V with 1:15 remaining was ruled incomplete upon review. Thielen (eight receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown) and Jefferson (four catches for 103 yards) teamed with Cook to give the Vikings their first game since 2000 with a 100-yard rusher and two 100-yard receivers. Kirk Cousins passed for 260 yards and a score for the Vikings.

Watson passed for 300 yards and two touchdowns, but the Texans dropped to 0-4 for the third time in franchise history (2005, ‘08). Fuller (six catches, 108 yards) and Kenny Stills (two catches, 39 yards) made the touchdown catches.

SEAHAWKS 31, DOLPHINS 23
Russell Wilson threw for 360 yards and two touchdowns and Chris Carson rushed for a pair of 1-yard scores as Seattle remained unbeaten with the victory over host Miami.

Wilson, who completed 24 of 34 passes, found David Moore in the corner of the end zone for a 17-yard score to put the Seahawks (4-0) ahead 24-15 with 5:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. That came after the Dolphins (1-3) had closed to 17-15 on the fifth of Jason Sanders’ field goals.

Miami’s Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 29 of 45 passes for 315 yards and rushed for a team-high 47 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown scamper with 1:50 left. A two-point conversion pulled the Dolphins within eight points, but Seattle recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock.

RAVENS 31, WASHINGTON 17
Lamar Jackson threw two touchdown passes to Mark Andrews and also rushed for a 50-yard score to lift Baltimore over the host Washington Football Team.

Jackson completed 14 of 21 passes for 193 yards and added 53 rushing yards to lead the Ravens (3-1). Andrews caught a 25-yard touchdown in the second quarter and added a 22-yarder in the third for his fourth career multi-touchdown game.

It was the third straight loss for Washington (1-3). Dwayne Haskins Jr. completed 32 of 45 passes for 314 yards, with top target Terry McLaurin hauling in a game-high 10 catches for 118 yards.

SAINTS 35, LIONS 29
Drew Brees threw two touchdown passes to Tre’Quan Smith, Latavius Murray scored two rushing touchdowns and visiting New Orleans shook off an early deficit to beat Detroit.

Brees passed for 246 yards while completing 19 of 25 attempts for the Saints (2-2). Alvin Kamara rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown and Murray gained 64 rushing yards. New Orleans trailed 14-0 before scoring the next 35 points to take control.

Matthew Stafford threw for 206 yards and three touchdown passes for Detroit (1-3). The Lions were held to 90 rushing yards, with Adrian Peterson leading the way with 36 yards and a touchdown with 3:40 left that pulled Detroit to within six.

BUCCANEERS 38, CHARGERS 31
Tom Brady passed for 369 yards and five touchdowns to lead Tampa Bay past visiting Los Angeles.

Five different receivers caught touchdown passes for the Buccaneers (3-1), led by Mike Evans with seven catches for 122 yards.

Justin Herbert completed 20 of 25 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns for the Chargers (1-3). He was intercepted once.

RAMS 17, GIANTS 9
Unable to get their offense on track until late, Los Angeles rode its defense to victory over winless New York at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

Let by two-time defensive player of the year Aaron Donald, the Rams (3-1) held the Giants (0-4) out of the end zone while improving to 2-0 at the $5 billion stadium. The Giants fell to 0-4.

Los Angeles’ high-powered offense finally delivered with just under seven minutes remaining when quarterback Jared Goff hit wide receiver Cooper Kupp on a 55-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown and a 17-9 lead. Goff was 25 of 32 for 200 yards, his lowest passing yardage of the season and his lowest since Week 10 of last season. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was 23 of 36 for 190 yards, with an interception.

BENGALS 33, JAGUARS 25
Joe Burrow became the first rookie quarterback to throw for 300 or more yards in three straight games, and Joe Mixon scored a career-high three touchdowns as host Cincinnati held off Jacksonville.

The touchdowns were the first in four games this season for Mixon, who piled up 181 yards from scrimmage (151 rushing, 30 receiving) for Cincinnati (1-2-1). Burrow completed 25 of 36 passes for 300 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Randy Bullock made all four of his field-goal attempts.

Gardner Minshew completed 27 of 40 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns to D.J. Chark Jr., who had eight receptions for 95 yards. Aldrick Rosas converted 4-of-5 field goals for the Jaguars (1-3), who have lost three in a row.

PANTHERS 31, CARDINALS 21
Teddy Bridgewater threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as Carolina was in control most of the way in the victory over visiting Arizona.

Running backs Mike Davis, who rushed for a game-high 84 yards, and Reggie Bonnafon each posted a touchdown. The Panthers (2-2) won for the second week in a row despite the absence of injured All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey (ankle sprain).

Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray completed 24 of 31 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns. His 78 rushing yards also were tops for the Cardinals (2-2), who lost for the second week in a row.

COLTS 19, BEARS 11
Philip Rivers passed for 190 yards and a touchdown and Rodrigo Blankenship kicked four field goals as Indianapolis defeated host Chicago for its third straight victory.

Rivers connected with Mo Alie-Cox for a 13-yard touchdown in the opening quarter, and Blankenship, an undrafted rookie, drilled field goals of 21, 30, 44 and 30 yards. Julian Blackmon added an interception in the fourth quarter for the Colts (3-1).

Nick Foles was 26-for-42 passing for 249 yards, with one touchdown and one interception in his first start for Chicago (3-1). Foles connected with Allen Robinson for a 16-yard touchdown with 1:35 to go before David Montgomery ran for the two-point conversion. The Colts recovered the ensuing onside kick. — Reuters

MLB roundup: A’s, Braves, Dodgers advance

THE OAKLAND ATHLETICS rallied from an early deficit and used eight pitchers Thursday to post a 6-4 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox in the decisive Game 3 of their American League wild-card series.

Oakland’s first postseason series win since 2006 advances the second-seeded AL West champion into the AL Division Series against the sixth-seeded Houston Astros. The White Sox were trying to advance in the postseason for the first time since winning the 2005 World Series.

Chicago’s Luis Robert opened the scoring with a 487-foot home run, the longest at Oakland Coliseum in the Statcast era (since 2015). The White Sox pushed the lead to 3-0 after Robert’s RBI single and Nomar Mazara’s run-scoring double in the third inning.

The A’s rallied from the three-run deficit, using a four-run fourth and seizing the upper hand for good with a two-run fifth. Oakland starter Mike Fiers allowed five hits in 1 2/3 innings, and seven A’s relievers worked in and out of trouble until Liam Hendriks struck out the side in the ninth inning.

DODGERS 3, BREWERS 0
Clayton Kershaw dominated over eight innings and Mookie Betts had a key two-run double as Los Angeles earned a spot in the National League Division Series with a victory over visiting Milwaukee.

Austin Barnes had an RBI single among his two hits as the Dodgers swept the best-of-three wild-card series at Dodger Stadium. Chris Taylor also had a pair of hits for the Dodgers.

With Kershaw’s rocky playoff history looming over the proceedings, the veteran left-hander was in complete control, giving up just three hits with 13 strikeouts. Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff (0-1) gave up three runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts.

BRAVES 5, REDS 0
Marcell Ozuna and Adam Duvall each hit eighth-inning, two-run homers as host Atlanta swept Cincinnati in their best-of-three National League wild-card series.

Ronald Acuna Jr. had three hits and rookie Ian Anderson struck out nine over six strong frames for the Braves. Atlanta snapped a 10-series playoff losing streak by winning its first since 2001 after Ozuna and Duvall both went deep late off Raisel Iglesias to put the game out of reach.

This was a brief but historic set that opened Wednesday with a 1-0, 13-inning win by Atlanta. The Reds set a major league record by going scoreless in their first 22 innings of a playoff series.

PADRES 11, CARDINALS 9
Fernando Tatis and Wil Myers hit two homers apiece and Manny Machado added a game-tying homer as host San Diego overcame a pair of four-run St. Louis leads to force a winner-take-all third game Friday in their National League wild-card series.

Tatis (five RBIs) and Myers (four RBIs) became the first pair of teammates to hit two home runs apiece in a postseason game since Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in the 1932 World Series. The Padres also became the first team in postseason history to hit five homers from the sixth inning on.

Padres starter Zach Davis yielded four runs in two innings while Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright allowed two runs in 3 1/3 innings. St. Louis used eight pitchers and San Diego used nine. — Reuters

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